Doll, toy figure and the like with an adjustable lock of hair



Dec. 29, 1964 R. BEEBE EIAL DOLL, TOY FIGURE AND THE LIKE ADJUSTABLE LOCK OF HAIR Filed June 26, 1963 v L 0 mm m F l 1/ MFR-1 wax/Aim SUCHQMSM! United States Patent F DOLL, TOY FIfiURE AND THE LEKE WITH AN ADJUSTABLE LOCK OF HAIR Herbert R. Beebe, Richmond Hill, and Bernard duchowski, Howard Beach, N.Y., assignors to American Character,

Ino, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 26, 1963, Ser. No. 2%,843 7 Claims. (til. 46172) This invention relates to dolls, toy figures and the like, and the invention has particular reference to a lock of hair therefor which may be adjusted to vary the exposed length thereof so that the appearance of the doll, toy figure and the like can be changed by a child playing therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide the head of a doll, toy figure and the like with a lock of hair which is adjustable to vary the exposed length thereof by means adapted to be manually actuated exteriorly of the body thereof so as to permit of the dispensing and retracting of the lock of hair through an opening in the head.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means adapted for rotation in one direction for shortening the protruding porton of the lock of hair and which means is releasable to permit of the rotation thereof in the opposite direction so that the protruding portion of the lock of hair may be elongated.

The invention provides a doll, toy figure and the like having a lock of hair which is disposed in protruding relation through an opening in the head thereof and which is connected with a shaft adapted to be actuated exteriorly of the doll, .toy figure and the like for rotating of the shaft in one direction for retracting the lock of hair and which shaft may be released from biased relation for rotating thereof in the opposite direction to permit of the lengthening of the protruding portion of the lock of hair.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a doll provided with a lock of hair which may be adjusted to vary the exposed length thereof in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view with parts broken away and showing the means by which the exposed length of the lock of hair may be varied.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the means referred to in FIG. 2 released to permit of the lengthening of the exposed lock of hair.

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken approximately on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a similar view taken approximately on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is illustrated in its application to a doll but the same may be any toy figure and the like.

The doll may be of any desired character having a head mounted in any desired manner on a doll body 11. The head 10 is of hollow formation and is provided with a lock of hair 12 which is arranged in protruding relation in an elongated opening 13 in the "top thereof. The lock of hair 12 is of looped formation within the dolls head and affixed thereto is a cord 15. The cord 15 is afiixed to a shaft 16 rotatably mounted in the doll body for varying the exposed length of the portion of the lock of hair protruding through the opening 13.

The shaft 16 is rotatably mounted in bearing openings 17 and 18 in the front and rear walls 19 and 20 of the 3,152,975 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 doll body 11. The forward end of said shaft is provided with a button 22 arranged in a socket 23 in the front wall 19 and between the button and the wall of the doll body surrounding the bearing opening 17 is a spring 24 which biases the shaft forwardly. Affixed to the protruding rear end of said shaft 16 is a manual control knob 25 having a series of ratchet teeth 26 on the inner face thereof surrounding the shaft 16 and which is normally biased by the spring 24 into engagement with complementary ratchet teeth 27 formed on the rear Wall 20 in surrounding relation with the bearing opening 18 of the doll body.

This arrangement permits of the turning of the knob 25 in a clockwise direction for winding of the cord 15 on the shaft 16 so as to effect retraction of the lock of hair inwardly through the opening 13 in the doll head so as to shorten the exposed portion thereof. The ratchet teeth 26 and 27 may be disengaged by pressing the button 22 inwardly against the bias of the spring 24 whereby the shaft may be freely rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear. The lock of hair may then be pulled outwardly so as to lengthen the protruding portion thereof, and in doingso the cord 15 is unwound from the shaft 16. The cord 15 protrudes through a tubular member 28 arranged in the doll body which functions to limit the retraction of the lock of hair through the opening 13. The head 10 is also provided with an attached hair foundation 3d surrounding the opening 13 in the top of the doll head and surrounding the lock of hair 12 protruding therefrom. The hair foundation 30 preferably comprises rooted hair as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein but it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modifications thereof which fall within the purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A doll, toy figure or the like including a hollow head and body, a lock of hairarranged in protruding relation through an opening in the head, means for varying the length of the protruding portion of said lock of hair including a cross shaft journaled for rotation in mutually opposite wall portions of the body, a flexible element connecting said lock of hair to said cross shaft, and said cross shaft protruding through said doll body for manual turn ing thereof to wind said flexible element on said shaft to thereby draw said lock of hair inwardly through said opening for shortening the protruding length thereof.

2. A doll, toy figure or the like including a hollow head and body, a lock of hair arranged in protruding relation through an opening in the head, means for varying the length of the protruding portion of said lock of hair including a cross shaft journaled for rotation in mutually opposite wall portions of the body, a flexible element connecting said lock of hair to said cross shaft, said cross shaft protruding through said doll body for manual turning thereof in one direction to wind said flexible element on said shaft to thereby draw said lock of hair inwardly through said opening for shortening the protruding length thereof, and said cross shaft including means rendering said shaft adjustable and permitting turning thereof in a direction opposite to said one direction to thereby permit of the withdrawing of said lock of hair through said opening for lengthening the protruding portion thereof.

3. A doll, toy figure or the like including a hollow head and body, a lock of hair arranged in protruding relation through an opening in the head, means for varying the length of the protruding portion of said lock of hair including a cross shaft journaled for rotation in mutually opposite wall portions of the body, a flexible element connecting said lock of hair to said cross shaft, means biasing said shaft and permitting rotation thereof in one direction through said opening for shortening the protruding length thereof, and said cross shaft protruding through said doll body for manual rotation thereof in said one direction and for manually shifting of said cross shaft against the bias thereof to permit of rotation thereof in a direction opposite to said one directionwith the Withdrawing of said lock of hair through said opening for lengthening the protruding portion thereof.

4. A doll, toy figure or the like including a hollow head and body, a lock of hair arranged in protruding relation through an opening in the head, means for Varying the length of "the protruding portion of said lock of hair including a cross shaft journaled for rotation in mutually opposite wall portions of the body, a flexible element connecting said lock of hair to said cross shaft, interengageable ratchet means carried by said body and said cross shaft limiting rotation of said cross shaft in one direction, means biasing said shaft to dispose said interengageable means in engagement, and said cross shaft protruding through said doll body for engagement at one end thereof for manual rotation in said one direction to thereby draw said look of hair inwardly through said opening for shortening the length thereof and for engagement at the other end of said shaft for manually-shifting the shaft against the saidtbias to permit of rotation thereof in a direction opposite to said one direction'with the withdrawing of said lock of hair through said opening forlengthening the protruding portion thereof.

5. A doll having a hollow head and body, the head having an opening in the top thereof, a long lock of hair having' a portion protruding through the opening of said doll head and a portion extending internally of said of said lock of hair, said means being manually operable i by said doll protruding part for causing said lock connected part to pull and retract said lock of hair into and through the doll head for shortening the protruding portion of said lock of hair said means ermitting the pro truding portion of said lock of hair to be manually pulled outwardly through the doll head opening to lengthen the said protruding portion of the lock of hair.

6. A doll having a hollow head and body, 'the'head having an opening in the top thereof, a long lock of hair having a portion protruding through the opening of said doll head and a portion extending internally of said doll head, said lock of hair having a length sufficient for permitting withdrawing the same from and retracting the same into both the doll head and the body to adjustably vary the protruding length of the lock'of hair, and means in said doll body to adjustablyvary the protruding length of the lock of hair, said means having a manually operable part protruding from said doll body and a part connected to the internally extending portion of said lock of hair, said means being manually operable by said doll protruding part for causing said look'connected part to" pull and retract said lock of hair into said doll head and doll body for shortening the protruding portion of said lock of hair, said means permitting the protruding portion of said lockof hair to be manually pulled outwardly through the doll head opening to lengthen the said pro truding portion of the lock-of hair,

7. The doll of claim 5 in Whichthe head is also provided with an attached hair foundation immediately surrounding the opening in the top of the doll head and surrounding the lock of hair portion protruding therefrom.

References @lted by the Enaniiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 698,324 4/62 Sanger, 46-135 1,369,192 1 2/21 Ream 46l46 X 1,498,950 8/48 Chinn 46151' 1,557,023 10/25 Chinn 46-135 2,448,088 8/48 Driggs 46151' 2,537,536 1/51 Lilienstern 46-172 2,708,809 5/55 Peterson 45-22' 3,032,923 5/62 RICILARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

Von Sternberg 46+l72 J 

5. A DOLL HAVING A HOLLOW HEAD AND BODY, THE HEAD HAVING AN OPENING IN THE TOP THEREOF, A LONG LOCK OF HAIR HAVING A PORTION PROTRUDING THROUGH THE OPENING OF SAID DOLL HEAD AND A PORTION EXTENDING INTERNALLY OF SAID DOLL HEAD, SAID LICK OF HAIR HAVING A LENGTH SUFFICIENT FOR PERMITTING WITHDRAWING THE SAME THROUGH AND FROM AND RETRACTING THE SAME INTO AND THROUGH THE DOLL HEAD TO ADJUSTABLY VARY THE PROTRUDING LENGTH OF THE LOCK OF HAIR, AND MEANS IN SAID DOLL BODY TO ADJUSTABLY VARY THE PROTRUDING LENGTH OF THE LOCK OF HAIR, SAID MEANS HAVING A MANUALLY OPERABLE PART PROTRUDING FROM SAID DOLL BODY AND A PART CONNECTED TO THE INTERNALLY EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID LOCK OF HAIR, SAID MEANS BEING MANUALLY OPERABLE BY SAID DOLL PROTRUDING PART FOR CAUSING SAID LOCK CONNECTED PART TO PULL AND RETRACT SAID LOCK OF HAIR INTO AND THROUGH THE DOLL HEAD FOR SHORTENING THE PROTRUDING PORTION OF SAID LOCK OF HAIR, SAID MEANS PERMITTING THE PROTRUDING PORTION OF SAID LOCK OF HAIR TO BE MANUALLY PULLED OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE DOLL HEAD OPENING TO LENGTHEN THE SAID PROTRUDING PORTION OF THE LOCK OF HAIR. 